As winter approaches and ski season begins, the costs associated with skiing in Austria are turning heads.
A recent analysis conducted by the holiday home portal Holidu has revealed that Austrian ski resorts lead the pack in Europe regarding expense, combining both ski pass prices and accommodation costs.
Austria’s most expensive ski resort
The analysis highlights Obergurgl-Hochgurgl in the Tyrol region of Austria as the most expensive ski resort in Europe, with an average daily cost (tickets and accommodation) of €283.82.
Nestled in the Ötztal Alps, Obergurgl-Hochgurgl boasts over 100 kilometres of ski pistes and sits at elevations ranging from 1,793 to 3,030 metres, making it known for its reliable snow conditions throughout the season.
Next, came the Swiss resort of Zermatt where the cost of being able to access 53 lifts and an impressive 322 kilometres of slopes costs an average of €256.18. The Hintertux Glacier in Tyrol, Austria, came in third place on the list, with an average price of €244.49 per day for skiing and accommodation.
The top ten most expensive ski resorts are all located in Austria, Switzerland and Italy, according to the study, Austrian media reported.
The Holidu study considered all European ski resorts where the length of all the pistes added up exceeds 20 kilometres. The analysis used median prices for holiday homes, collected from their database, alongside direct ski pass prices obtained from the websites of the respective resorts.
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Expensive sport
Skiing in Austria will be more expensive this winter, with reported rises in the prices of lift passes, particularly in Tyrolean ski resorts
This increase in costs follows a trend observed over the past five years, where lift ticket prices in Tyrol have surged by nearly 40 percent in some instances.
The rising costs are primarily attributed to inflation and increased personnel expenses, placing a heavier financial burden on local skiers and tourists.
Reinhard Klier, a spokesperson for Tyrolean Cable Cars, explained that personnel costs are the most significant expense for ski resorts. “Staff costs are our biggest cost item, and we ultimately have to pass this on to the ticket price,” Klier told ORF.
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In response to these rising costs, some Tyrolean ski resorts have begun implementing “dynamic pricing,” which adjusts ticket costs based on demand and capacity. While this approach can result in lower prices for those with flexible schedules, it has drawn criticism from consumer protection organisations for potentially creating confusion and a lack of transparency in pricing structures.
Are there cheaper alternatives?
For those seeking more budget-friendly options, ski resorts like Réallon and Seyne-La Grand-Puy in France offer a significantly lower average daily cost of €44.45.
Both resorts feature shorter piste lengths of 30 kilometres and 22 kilometres, respectively. In the mid-range category, Crévoux (France) charges €48.94 for 22 kilometres of slopes, while Artouste-Laruns offers slightly more distance at 27 kilometres for €49.44.
In Austria, you can find cheaper resorts like Bödele, in Vorarlberg, or even Axamer Lizum in Tyrol. People in Vienna often take a day trip to Semmering for a short ski outing without paying for accommodation.
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